So what if there was a magical place where all of these desires convened into a tasty and unique experience? The Crescent Olive, located on Devine Street (right up the street from campus) sells olive oils and vinegars. So what? Well, you get to taste EVERYTHING (fo’ free) when you visit. Armed with a bowl of bread (and later some ice cream!), you can explore the surprisingly flavorful and healthy oils and vinegars. Here are some of our must-trys and tips to get the most out of this crazy cool store.

1) Bring your parents/roomies.

Parents in town for the weekend? Need to restock your kitchen? Bringing people with you to The Crescent Olive makes the experience much more enjoyable. Not to mention the fact that your parents won’t mind buying you and your roommates some new cooking ingredients once they taste how heavenly this stuff can be.

2) Listen to the Olivettes.

Everyone who works in this store knows their stuff. So listen when they tell you what makes the oils good for your skin and body. Being healthy can be fun, especially with EVOO (that’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil for you olive oil virgins). These oils are no joke: 100% extra virgin, 1st-pressed, cold-pressed. That on-sale oil you normally buy in the grocery store can be less than 50% EVOO with other stuff thrown in. Know what you’re buying.

Photo by Ashley Crompton

3) Try…EVERYTHING.

Seriously, samples are the best part of any food store, so come hungry to this one. Start with the traditional EVOOs and then move on to the flavor-infused. Don’t be afraid to ask one of the employees to mix an oil and a vinegar together; you’ll get tons of ideas for salad dressings and marinades. Some favorite combos: pomegranate-quince white balsamic with Tuscan herb EVOO, strawberry dark balsamic with basil EVOO and cranberry-pear white balsamic with wild mushroom & sage EVOO. Plus there’s balsamic vinegars with ice cream…YUM.

4) Don’t miss the extras…

Photo by Ashley Crompton

…like the blood orange brownies that sit on the front table. Or the cute gift items that are literally everywhere. There are so many fantastic extras that you may never want to leave.

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Location: 2901-C Devine St. (in the same building as Cantina 76; right across the street from Half-Moon Outfitters)